Chapter 85 A Long, Weeping Song (Part 1)
After a snowstorm, true spring has finally arrived. All things are reviving, and everything is slowly returning to calm.
Jiang Yan arranged for Chu Jianshan's body to be transported back to Changjin Mountain, restoring him to his position as the Southern Immortal Venerable, where he would be worshipped by thousands. However, just as the burial was about to take place, Ji Shi forcefully stopped him.
"The cause of Chu Xianzun's death is still unclear, so we cannot hastily conclude this matter." Ji Shi said with his back to Chu Jianshan's coffin, his voice hoarse, as if he had just been crying.
Seeing his stubbornness, Jiang Yan waved for the irrelevant people to leave, walked to Chu Jianshan's coffin, looked at the person lying inside, and expressionlessly reached out to straighten his collar.
"He saved so many people, does it even matter how he died?"
"How can it not be important!" Ji Shi turned around abruptly, his eyes bloodshot. "If we can't avenge him, wouldn't he have died in vain?!"
Jiang Yan sighed almost imperceptibly, "I understand what you're thinking. How could I not feel sorry for my junior brother? But... if you knew, I'm afraid you would feel even worse."
"What do you mean?" Even Ji Shi, who was usually slow-witted, realized what was going on. "What do you know, don't you?"
Jiang Yan turned her back and said nothing more.
Ji Shi knelt down with a thud. "Master, please tell me!" He kowtowed repeatedly, pleading, "I beg you! Please tell me!"
"Sigh, never mind." Jiang Yan helped him up and pointed to Chu Jianshan's wound. "Look for yourself."
Ji Shi hurriedly tried to identify the weapon, but couldn't tell whose weapon had caused the injury. "Master, what is this?"
"The Xuan Tie Sword is a new sword that Qiao Yi forged for Cheng Yuan. It's understandable that you don't know about it."
Ji Shi stood there, speechless for a moment: "Master means... the one who killed him was Cheng Yuan?"
Jiang Yan hesitated for a moment, then nodded emphatically.
"Impossible!" Ji Shi retorted instinctively, "It couldn't be Cheng Yuan!"
“I know you don’t believe me, so I didn’t plan to tell you. But on that day, we were indeed besieged by the people of Linyi Sect. The leader was masked, but I recognized the aura of this sword. Besides, there was a barrier before Dongshan, and only Qingyuan and he knew about it besides me.”
“Impossible…” Ji Shi’s body went limp. “He and Chu Jianshan are such good friends, it’s impossible.”
Jiang Yan put her hand on his shoulder. "Nothing is impossible in this world. He was recognized as the young master of Linyi Sect and has enjoyed the taste of power for so long. Do you really think he is still the same as before?"
Ji Shi said, "I understand the principle that power can easily move people's hearts, but on the day of Linyi Gate, he clearly helped so many people!"
Jiang Yan: "It's just an act. It's to gain a good reputation for himself and stabilize his position as the lord. It's understandable. He can also take advantage of the chaos to get rid of Qingyuan. It's killing two birds with one stone."
Ji Shi closed his eyes tightly, "What if... what if it really isn't him?"
Jiang Yan was furious at his lack of self-respect: "One or two incidents could be coincidences, but all of these! Doesn't every single one point to him? Do you really think that Qinglan's matter also wronged him?"
Ji Shi looked at him, "Master, do you mean...?"
Jiang Yan explained, "Before Qinglan died, he was alone in the room. He kept insisting that he was being controlled, and even though it wasn't a frame-up, he dared to do such a thing because he was certain that Qingyuan would save him. But this beast..."
Jiang Yan was indignant and resentful, "They even went so far as to target his master!"
Ji Shi's body trembled violently; he realized that he was wavering.
“If it really is him…” Ji Shi’s throat tightened, and he could barely speak. “I will personally seek justice for Chu Jianshan.”
As night fell, the moonlight became sparse, and the stars in the sky were few and far between.
Jiang Yan walked all the way to Fanghua Pavilion, where the door was half open and there were bowls and chopsticks that had been kicked out at the door. Looking at them, they were completely untouched.
Jiang Yan sighed, thinking that Ah Sheng must be throwing a tantrum again.
He walked in with the pastry box, and as soon as he opened the door, the dark clouds revealed the moon, which shone directly into Fanghua Pavilion.
Inside the room, a person was chained up, his hair disheveled, emaciated, and covered in wounds.
Jiang Yan walked up to her, took a piece of pastry, and held it to her lips, waiting quietly.
Jiang Rusheng turned her head slightly, without even raising her eyes.
Jiang Yan smiled gently and said, "You'll get hungry if you don't eat. Be good, have a bite."
After saying that, he stuffed all the pastries into Jiang Rusheng's mouth, watching as the person in front of him choked and coughed repeatedly.
"Good Ah Sheng, this is my good daughter."
“Daughter…?” Hearing this address, Jiang Rusheng finally raised her head. Beneath her blood-soaked hair were a pair of once bright eyes. “So Father still remembers that I am your daughter.”
“How could I not remember?” Jiang Yan gently brushed the stray hairs from her eyes. “You are my only daughter.”
"Hahahaha..." Jiang Rusheng lowered her head and sneered, "Jiang Yan, don't you feel disgusted by what you're saying?"
He raised his head and glared fiercely at Jiang Yan, "Even now, you're still playing the role of a loving father and filial son?"
Jiang Yan finally stopped smiling and looked at her expressionlessly: "There's nothing I can do. You just happened to be there when your mother died. Otherwise, you could have acted out the scene of filial piety for a lifetime and wouldn't have had to suffer like this, right?"
He wanted to touch Jiang Rusheng's face, but she dodged away.
"Pah!" Jiang Rusheng became agitated, the chains clanging loudly. "You murdered your wife and abandoned your child! You deserve to be devoured by stray dogs! What are you dreaming of for a lifetime? Keep dreaming!"
Jiang Yan's eyes were sinister: "Ah Sheng, you've become increasingly unruly lately. What, are you expecting someone to come and save you?"
Jiang Rusheng had a bad feeling and tentatively asked, "Where is Uncle?"
Jiang Yan smiled at her without saying a word.
"I'm asking about your uncle!" Jiang Rusheng struggled to her feet, her wounds reopening. "What did you do to him!"
Jiang Yan spoke slowly and deliberately: "The death knell for Changjin Mountain has already tolled. With your intelligence, I don't believe you can't guess it."
Jiang Rusheng stopped struggling, and the moment she lowered her head, tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.
Jiang Yan was right; she had guessed it, but until the moment she received confirmation, she was still trying to convince herself. Chu Qingyuan—who was he? How could he possibly be dead? Was he playing some kind of fake death game again?
"Don't be sad," Jiang Yan comforted her. "If you behave well and eat your food properly, I will take you to see him one last time. After all, he is your uncle."
"Jiang Yan!!" Jiang Rusheng frantically moved closer to him, only to be pulled back by the chains: "I'm going to kill you!!"
“Kill me? Ha,” Jiang Yan laughed as if she had heard something funny. “My dear daughter, if you can really kill me, then all my teachings to you will have been worthwhile.”
Jiang Yan put down the food box, turned and left, leaving only Jiang Rusheng's sobs and curses behind her. The moment she looked up at the sky at the door, she felt a sense of relief she had never felt before.
...
Inside the Linyi Gate, several maids whispered among themselves, peering through the partially obscured curtain at the person lying inside.
A moment later, someone shouted, "He's awake! The Lord is awake! Someone come quick!"
Cheng Yuan woke up and coughed twice. He immediately felt a sharp pain in his heart and clutched the clothes around his heart tightly.
The chatter of the maids could still be heard, but after a while, it inexplicably fell silent.
"They're really lucky to have survived."
Cheng Yuan felt someone sitting by his bedside and instinctively called out, "Master..."
The man seemed to pause for a moment, then said, "If you insist on calling me that, that's fine too."
Cheng Yuan instantly understood, tried to sit up but fell back down. His vision became clearer and clearer, and he could finally see the person in front of him.
"Qiao Yi." These two words were uttered through gritted teeth.
Qiao Yi raised an eyebrow and commented, "It doesn't sound as good as Master."
Cheng Yuan asked, "Where is my master?"
During that battle, Chu Jianshan failed to appear, causing him increasing anxiety. Unable to leave the Temple of the Sun, he eventually contemplated suicide with everyone, but Jiang Yan and his men rescued them. Throughout the entire battle, he never saw Chu Jianshan.
“Good question,” Qiao Yi beckoned, and a servant brought in medicine and placed it by Cheng Yuan’s bedside. “You should ask Jiang Yan about this.”
"Sect Leader?" Cheng Yuan felt uneasy. "Did he take my master away?"
“I don’t know,” Qiao Yi said. “I have no idea what happened after I left that day.”
Cheng Yuan clearly didn't believe him: "You dare say that the affairs of the Demon Clan have nothing to do with you?"
Qiao Yi laughed and said, "That is relevant, but my purpose is very simple, just to kill you. As for who took Chu Jianshan away, I have no interest in knowing."
"Kill me?" Cheng Yuan raised his eyes and looked at him. "Can't you do it now?"
“What’s the point of this?” Qiao Yi toyed with the folding fan in his hand. “The most interesting thing about people is when they have the most hope, and then you destroy their hope little by little.”
"Who are you?" Cheng Yuan asked out of the blue.
Qiao Yi was still pretending to be stupid, and said with a smile, "Qiao Yi, don't you recognize me?"
“You are not.” Cheng Yuan’s answer was firm.
Qiao Yi withdrew her smile, her gaze now filled with admiration: "It seems there's some merit to Chu Jianshan's decision to take you as his disciple."
"As for who I am, that's a very complicated question. You'll find out eventually."
He wanted to leave, but when he reached the door, he suddenly stopped and turned to Cheng Yuan, saying, "Given Chu Jianshan's personality, if he doesn't want to leave, no one can take him away."
"What do you mean!" Cheng Yuan was so agitated that he almost aggravated his wound.
“The literal meaning.” Qiao Yi continued, “Maybe he didn’t want to take you with him at all. Jiang Yan has already invited him back to Changjin Mountain. You know Chu Jianshan. What’s the safety of the people and the world? Isn’t that more important than you? Only by returning to Changjin Mountain can he do what he wants to do.”
Cheng Yuan struggled to prop himself up on one side and said in a deep voice, "You don't need to stir up trouble here. I won't believe a single word you say."
"Really?" Qiao Yi said, "Then you'd better go to Changshan Mountain yourself and take a look."
Cheng Yuan said, "Aren't you going to stop me?"
"I won't stop you, go ahead, go see... how Chu Jianshan is doing."
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